Golf club grip assembly

Abstract

A grip assembly for the handle of a golf club where the grip assembly includes a resilient underlisting sleeve over which is spirally wrapped a resilient strip. The lower end of the underlisting sleeve includes a nipple formed with an upward facing circumferential groove. The lower end of the strip is urged into the confines of the groove to secure the lower end of the strip to the underlisting sleeve.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A golf club grip assembly comprising: 
       a resilient underlisting sleeve formed at its upper end with a cap and at its lower end with a nipple;  
       an upwardly facing circumferential groove formed in the upper portion of the nipple, the outer portion of the groove being defined by a flexible circumferential lip;  
       a resilient strip wrapped about and adhered to the underlisting sleeve between the underside of the cap and the lower portion of the groove of the nipple; and  
       the lip being expandible outwardly to securely retain the lower end of the strip within the groove and retain the lower portion of the strip to the lower portion of the underlisting sleeve.  
     
     
       2. A golf club grip assembly comprising: 
       a resilient underlisting sleeve formed at its upper end with cap and with a first groove below the cap, said sleeve also being formed at its lower end with a nipple;  
       an upwardly facing circumferential second groove formed in the upper portion of the nipple, the outer portion of the second groove being defined by a flexible circumferential lip;  
       a resilient strip spirally wrapped about the underlisting sleeve between the underside of the cap and the lower portion of the nipple, the upper portion of the strip being formed with a tip received by the first groove of the sleeve, the lip being expandable outwardly to receive the lower end of the strip within the second groove to firmly retain the lower end of the strip within such second groove; and  
       an adhesive applied to the underside of the strip to adhere the strip to the sleeve.  
     
     
       3. A method of making a golf club grip utilizing a frusto-conical mandrel, said method including: 
       providing a resilient underlisting sleeve formed at its upper end with a cap and at its lower end with a nipple, the nipple having an upwardly facing circumferential groove formed in its upper portion, the outer portion of the groove being defined by a flexible circumferential lip;  
       providing a resilient strip;  
       spirally wrapping the resilient strip about and adhering the strip to the underlisting sleeve between the underside of the cap and the lower portion of the groove of the nipple;  
       expanding the lip outwardly to receive and to securely retain the lower end of the strip within the groove to thereby secure the lower portion of the strip to the lower portion of the underlisting sleeve adhering the strip to the sleeve; and  
       removing the assembled sleeve and strip from the mandrel.  
     
     
       4. A method of making a golf club grip utilizing a frusto-conical mandrel, said method including: 
       providing a resilient underlisting sleeve formed at its upper end with a cap and with a first groove, and at its lower end with a nipple, the nipple having an upwardly facing circumferential second groove formed in its upper portion, the outer portion of the second groove being defined by a flexible circumferential lip;  
       providing a resilient strip formed at its upper end with a tip;  
       spirally wrapping the resilient strip about the underlisting sleeve between the underside of the cap and the lower portion of the second groove of the nipple, with the tip of the sleeve being disposed in the first groove of the nipple;  
       expanding the lip outwardly to receive and retain the lower end of the strip within the second groove of the nipple to thereby secure the lower portion of the strip to the lower portion of the underlisting sleeve adhering the strip to the sleeve; and  
       removing the assembled sleeve and strip from the mandrel.